Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-11

to the bottom of the inclined winZe an ak
would be required to cut through the bulk
head and get out into the drift on the 100
level of the Con. Virginia.
Peter Eddy lay with his head on the
upward slope of the pile of caved earth that
booked the drift and the others in line
behind him, all within space of twenty
feet. Some mining men think that by re-
moving the caved dirt next to the roof of the
drift, the men let in foul air from behind
the cave, which extiEguished their candles
and killed them in their tracks. Superin-
tendent Lyman thinks otherwise He is of
the opinion that the men, when stopped by
the cave in the drift, were utterly discour-
aged and overwhelmed, and being ex-
hausted by their previous efforts and over
come by the hot and bad air, lay down and
died just where they stood, when the situa-
ton became apparent to all. To go ahead
was impossible, and they had not the
strength left to surmount the obstacles in
their way should they attempt to return
through the weary length of the dilapideted
old drift. The watch carried by Dougherty
in the top of his dinner pail stopped at
5:25-on the day after the fire as is sup
posed.
A close search was made this afternoon
for some kind of written record, but moth
ing was found. By charring the end of a
pine stick in candle the men might have
written on the walls of the drift, or left
guiding marks. but they evidently expected
to make their escape in few hours. 1t is
not expected that the last body will be got
to the surface before midnight. The bodies
will be brought out singly over the piles of
caved dirt, the tops of several of which
are much higher than the roof of the drift.
1t will take nearly an hour to bring out
each body.
TAKING OUT THE BODIES
Each body taken out was laid on a
broad plank with rope loops
for handles at each corner,
for four bearers. In narrow
places where the men could not 90 side bv
side the board and body was pulled through
by means of long rope. Each body was
wrapped in canvas. AS each was brought
out of the Ferguson drift it was taken
back to the cooling-off station of the Bon
ner shaft. All are now there. They will
now be placed on trucks and carried north
ward along the main drift of the 1.5OO-foot
level OF the Best IL Belcher to the point
where connection was made. There the
bodies will be taken one at time and
lashed to plank and drawn UP through
the incline winze eXcavated bv the relief
party, thence to be taken to the Con. Vir-
gina shaft and lashed to planks, when two
at time will be hoisted to the surface.
The worst of all was the transporting of
the bodies 500 feet through the old Fergu-
son drift. In this work relays of men were
employed. No one set of men could make
halt the trip with body, even as light as
they now are.
Undertaken Conboie says that with his
washes he will be able to bring the faces of
the men almost to their natural color. AS
TO the bodies, all moisture is gone out of
them, and there is now little left but bones.
skin and hardened muscle.
ALL HAVE BEEN MUsrMrF1Ep.
As if dried in an oven, by the intense dry
heat OF the drift. AS soon as the bodies
were out of the old drift the compressed
air pipe was removed, and the entrance to
1t will be securely bulkheaded.
Superintendents Lyman and Patton.
William Harper and other shift bosses, are
completely worn out, and the same NAV be
said of the several shifts of men, though
new men have been constantly brought in
There was crowd about the works all
day to-day, in hourly expectation that the
bodies would be brought to the surface.
THE BODIES BROUGHT OUT.
ICOpyigt, 1887, by The California associated Pres.
VIRGINIA, July 10th-11 P. M.-The work
of bringing the bodies out of the mine was
accomplished more speedily than was
thought possible. The miners below worked
like heroes. They had disagreeable task
to perform, as well as most arduous one.
and we're in haste to have it over. All the
bodies reached the surface in good condi-
ton, except that of Martin Tregallis, which
was considerably decomposed
A wagon was in readiness and the bodies
taken at once to the undertaker's. 1t was
not generally known that the bodies were
being brought out, and less than hundred
persons were in and about the works
Only three or four women were present,
and they stood apart outside of the build
ing. Superintendent Patton was present
while the bodies were being brought up,
also James q. Rule, Foreman of the Gould
d Curry, and shift boss Hebe HOLMAN, of
the same mine. Chief of Police Hender-
son and one or two officers were present,
but had nothing to do, as all present were
as quiet and orderly as at funeral.
So ended the sixteen days of suspense
and anxiety such as had never before been
experienced by the people of the Comstock.
The recovery of the bodies is a great relief
to all the men and officers of the mines
concerned, and to the people of the whole
town